From Jesse Ferguson, DCCC – “As the Romney-Ryan drag gets heavier and heavier for House Republicans, more competitive races are coming into play and races that were competitive are increasingly safe for House Democrats. Republicans are on defense and being forced to do triage as their poll numbers tumble and their Tea Party Congress gets more and more toxic.”

REPUBLICAN TRIAGE:

NRCC Stops Ad Campaign in Iowa's 1st District. “The National Republican Campaign Committee isn't continuing their on-air support in Iowa's 1st District, and will go dark in the district this week, according to a Democratic source tracking media buys. […] The NRCC has spent about $400,000 targeting him, but currently has no ad buys scheduled going forward.” [National Journal, 10/1/12]

NRCC Lends A Hand To Steve Southerland. “The National Republican Congressional Committee’s independent expenditure arm will soon begin airing ads in Florida’s 2nd district, the Panhandle seat of freshman Republican Rep. Steve Southerland. […] Lawson was originally written off but appears poised to at least have a shot […] It’s the NRCC’s first foray into the Sunshine State and a sign that the seat is probably more vulnerable to a Democratic pickup than previously thought. [Roll Call, 10/3/12]

DEM STRENGTH:

DCCC Cancels Three Weeks of Buys in Seats It Feels Are Safe. “House Democrats have canceled advertisement buys in three House races where the party’s nominee is on a clear path to victory. In Arizona’s 2nd district, New Mexico’s 1st district and Florida’s 26th district, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee cut its weeklong reservation starting Oct. 18, according to a Democratic source with firsthand knowledge of the changes.” [Roll Call, 10/3/12]

DCCC trims MN ad budget in 1st District. “Apparently concluding that DFL Rep. Tim Walz looks like a safe bet to win re-election in the 1st Congressional District, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is trimming its nearly $3 million Minnesota ad budget by about $260,000, according to a DCCC spokesperson. The cash was originally meant for two ads to be run in Walz's favor later this month.” [MPR, 10/1/12]